Sceptical
by tessmagnolia
Summary: The riverside conversation continues with a few revelations. carby
1. Default Chapter

OCOH May challenge…

A conversation between two people, about the Carby relationship and either Carter, Abby or both of them over hear this gossip session. And then comes the reaction…  
At least 60% of the fic must be this conversation (e.g. 1200 words of a 2000 word challenge)  
Maximum of 2000 words.

**Spoilers:** Anything up to season 10 finale might be included.

**Disclaimer:** My bank balance is far too low for me to own anything!

**Summary: **Sam and Luka have a little chat about a certain couple's on/off relationship, not realizing that someone is sat eavesdropping behind them. It's set roughly a year after 'Midnight' and Kem departed shortly after then.

****

**SCEPTICAL**

Abby sat there, intrigued, listening to the conversation going on behind her. She was sat in a booth in Ikes waiting for Susan to arrive and behind her Luka and Sam had sat down for a meal, completely oblivious to her presence.

Her phone suddenly vibrated, it was a text message from Susan, the baby was playing up and she was going to be about 20 minutes late. Momentarily she was annoyed, then she smiled, this would be the perfect excuse to continue listening to the unfolding dilemma going on behind her. Picking up her coke, she sat back.

x-x-x-x

"Is he going to tell her?" Sam asked as she picked up the menu, she was in the mood for steak and chips, with cheesecake for dessert.

"I don't think so." Luka responded. "They're friends, but she's been mentally keeping her distance."

"And what? He doesn't think she cares enough?"

"It's complicated."

"Everything that ever happens between them is complicated." Sam rolled her eyes. "You decided on what you want?"

"Yeah lasagna."

"What? No dessert?" She teased as she signalled for the waitress to take their order.

"Maybe later." He said smirking suggestively. Sam smiled, tonight was definitely going to be fun. Well the fun would start after this meal, Sam would much rather be home, Alex was staying at Austin's and the place would be theirs. But Luka had wanted to talk, not about them, about Carter and his latest problem. From all the gossip Sam had been privy too over the past two years she wasn't sure that anyone could help. That didn't stop Luka from caring, Carter saved his life and felt he owed him.

"What does he want you to do about it?"

"Listen."

"But you don't want to leave it at that?"

"How can I?"

"Well I think she deserves to know. If that was me I'd want to know…"

"But it isn't and I'd be breaking his trust if I told her." Luka swiftly interrupted.

x-x-x-x

Abby, sat in the other booth had a hunch who they were talking about.

"Abby's going to be so pissed when she finds out." She heard Sam say which confirmed it, Carter, but what was his secret? The waitress dropped off Luka and Sam's drinks and came across to her booth, managing to remain undetectable as she motioned for the waitress to move away.

"That's why I want her to know."

"You could tell her." Luka shook his head grinning, that's not quite how he wanted Abby to know. "Or I could tell her." Sam suggested with a hint of mischief, causing Luka to laugh.

"You'll get me into trouble."

"I'll protect you." Sam reached across the table and gently squeezed his hand. Anyone watching would see it as a simple gesture of her affection. Not the distraction it really was; having slipped off her shoe, her foot moved up under his trouser leg slowly, seductively. Luka smiled, raising his eyebrow in amusement.

"But seriously, Carter should just tell her." Sam began after a few moments of silent flirting. "It's been nearly a year, the grieving time is over and the heeling should begin."

"It's not that easy."

"You said he's pretty much admitted it."

"Admitting it is one thing. I don't know if he's ready for the world to know."

"And by world, you mean Abby?" Luka nodded at her insight. "He's just scared."

"Oh, and you know that?"

"Yup. All men are scared. It's what gives us the power." Sam teased.

"So now you're suggesting we tell Abby, so she can have the power?" Luka asked.

"I think that would only be fair." Sam laughed.

"Well, I think you women have far too much power."

"That isn't a bad thing. I mean… we are the more dominant of our species." Sam shrugs innocently.

"Dominant? More like controlling."

"Potato, patato." Sam smiles sweetly across the table.

Luka sighs, knowing full well he's beat at this conversation. "So what should I do about Carter?"

"There's not much you can do. It's up to him. If he can't get up the guts to admit what he's thinking and feeling to Abby, then it's his own loss."

"He's just worried about her reaction."

"Come off it, I've seen them together. Sparks fly whenever they're within 50 feet of each other."

"Sometimes it's not enough."

"And sometimes they just need a kick to jump start them." Sam counters his argument. "They're perfect for each other. They care deeply about one another. If ones in pain the other feels it. Everyone can see it."

"But it didn't work out last time."

"I know, but from what I've heard. That was a mistake. They started off with far too much unsolved baggage."

"You could say that about everyone."

"But not everyone had as much bad luck as they did. They could give the Jerry Springer show a run for their money. It's a wonder they've even survived."

"They're tough."

"Exactly, so we should give them both a push in the right direction and let nature take it's course."

"That's probably not one of your best ideas."

"Look, you wanted my opinion and I think that Abby and Carter belong together. Abby's great, I didn't know the 'old' Abby, but the new one is wonderful, she's fun, secure and willing to take chances. Carter is getting better and anything that can happen with Abby would only make things incredible."

Luka doesn't look convinced, forcing Sam to continue with her argument. "You told me the guy is besotted with her and she's obviously been in love with him. You even said the reason you two broke up was that."

"Doesn't mean they are even ready."

"Well shouldn't they be the ones to decide that?" Sam looked pointedly at Luka and received a reluctant nod. "I know Carter loved the baby and misses Kem, but maybe it's time to move on."

x-x-x-x

Abby sat there dumbstruck, not quite believing her ears. Not sure whether to trust Sam, not sure whether she should build her hopes up that it might be true. She'd thought her feelings for Carter had been long gone.

Abby had managed to lock them up when he had returned with the pregnant Kem in tow, squashing any feelings she may have had. Then when the miscarriage had happened leaving Carter alone and distraught, she'd been pre-occupied with supporting Carter to even imagine taking their relationship back to what it was.

Now Abby wasn't sure what to do. She needed to get out of here and find Carter, confront him. She just wasn't entirely sure how to get out of the restaurant without being seen by Luka or Sam.

Luckily for her Luka chose that moment to visit the men's room, leaving only Sam to face. Figuring that biting the bullet was her only option, Abby stood up.

x-x-x-x

"Abby!" Sam exclaimed, as the small figure emerged from the next booth. "I didn't realize you were here."

"Yeah, I figured that." Abby stood chewing slightly on her bottom lip, not sure whether to stay or flee.

"I take it you heard." Sam asked and Abby nodded. "I'm sorry you found out that way."

"My own fault for eavesdropping." Abby shrugged, feeling slightly ashamed for her sneaky behaviour.

"Well, I probably would have done the same." Sam grinned up at her, indicating that she understood and forgave her for the minor indiscretion. "What you going to do about it?"

"Talk to him. And don't worry I wont let on that it was Luka's fault I heard, his secret's safe." Abby added conspiringly.

"But, how are you going to explain that you know." Sam asked feigning concern about Luka's 'trust' dilemma.

"I'll think of something, I've known Carter for nearly six years. I'll just tell him I can still read him like a book." Confident in her choice, Abby smiled briefly at Sam. "You two have a goodnight and tell Luka not to worry. I've had too much good luck recently for things not to work out."

Luka came out of the restrooms, barely missing Abby's retreating form. "I'm starving." He declared as he sat down, and then noticed Sam's smug expression. "What are you so pleased about?"

"I think your problem with Carter has been solved."

"What have you done?"

"Me? Nothing." She said innocently. "A little birdie may have done some fast talking though."

Sam's, still shoeless, foot returned to its previous position moving under Luka's trouser leg, and she then added. "Besides, I have something far more enticing for us to be thinking about."

x-x-x-x

Leaving the restaurant Abby made two phone calls, one cancelling on Susan and the other telling Carter to meet her at the bench. Hoping that her nerves weren't recognisable over the phone.

x-x-x-x

"Hey." Carter called out smiling as he reached the bench. "What's so important you had to drag me away from my couch and my date with the TV?"

"I've been thinking." Abby had been rehearsing this conversation over in head, with each time coming up with a different outcome, none of which she'd been terribly happy with.

"That sounds a bit ominous."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked in a serious tone.

"What?" Carter moved to join her on the bench and was confused when she edged slightly away from him.

"We're friends aren't we?" Carter nodded. "We've moved to a better, happier place, right?" Again Carter nodded, unsure where this was heading. "So why do you want to change things?"

"I didn't think I that I do." He answered wondering whether his defences should be put up.

"You don't have to lie to me." She looked him adamantly in the eye. "I know."

"You know?" His eyes narrowing as he questioned her. Alarm bells were beginning to ring, so much for being able to trust Luka.

"Of course I know." Her eyes softened. "John, I've known you for nearly six years. I can read you better than anyone else."

Tentatively she placed a soothing hand on his arm. "I can't lose you again."

"Who's to say you will." Carter responded.

"We both saw how it ended last time."

"Things changed. We're different people now."

"We're not ready to take this further. You're not stable enough." Abby tried to convince him. Instantly regretting it when she recognised the hurt in his eyes. "I just don't think you've had enough time to grieve."

"I'll always love my son. I'll think about him everyday, but it's been a year. I need to move on with my life."

"And Kem?" She asked tentatively, this was one topic they had managed to avoid this past year.

"I cared about her, but I care about you more. I always will."

"Oh." Standing up she moved over to the railings, taking this time to process this information. "I don't know what to say to that. I don't know if I'm ready to understand what that means."

"Well I'm ready and it can mean whatever you want it to mean." Carter stood up and moved to join her by the railings. "But I'm not going to lose you again."

"I don't want to lose what we have. It's taken us far to long to get where we are now for us to throw it a way on some romantic whim."

"It's wouldn't be a whim."

"No?" she asked sceptically.

"You're running scared."

"Well that's nothing new."

"So maybe we haven't changed, which proves my point. We aren't meant to be with each other."

"Maybe you're right."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't want to be." Nervously she asked her own burning question. "We're still friends right? We're going to be okay?"

"We're still friends." And to prove it he lent forward and gave her a brief hug.

So they both stood there, watching each other, hoping for some telltale sign they could latch onto, false smiles lighting up their faces.

**Authors notes: **This isn't the end, I want a happy ending but didn't want a rushed one, so tune in next week _(or soon if work gets too much_) for part two! ;)


	2. Part 2

**Authors notes:** Okay... so I know I said this would be up in a few weeks, but real life came along in a big way and I didn't get chance to finish this. Here's part 2, I make no claims as to when the next part will come.

**Part 2**

****

"You want to get some coffee?" Carter eventually asked, breaking the tension.

"Coffee?"

"Yeah, you know it's brown liquid and has a tendency to keep you up all night."

"Funny." Abby smirked up at his humour. "I just didn't think…" Abby stuttered over her words. "Well I figured you'd want to get back to your date."

"My date?" Carters' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Oh, you mean my couch. No, I'd much rather stay with you."

Abby bit down on her lip, she had convinced herself that he would be leaving soon and now he wanted to prolong the awkwardness. Talk about sadistic. All she wanted was a little time and breathing space.

"So, coffee?"

"Sure, one condition though."

"Oh?"

"Yeah I feel like staying out here tonight. Can you grab me my usual and meet me back here?"

"You don't want to come with me?" He asks conscious that he was leaving her, and not quite willing to trust that she would still be here when he returned.

"No. I don't feel like the walk."

"You'll be right here?"

"Yep, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." Abby smiled at him, convincing him, her own small promise to him.

She took the time he ran the errand to compose her thoughts. The outcome was what she'd wanted, but things were still hanging in the air like the proverbial black cloud, ready at any moment to onslaught it's dark waves.

By the time he returned she'd made another decision. Reaching for the coffee in his out stretched hand she looked at him and smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Leaning over the railings, her warm coffee grasped comfortably between her hands as she held it up to her lips to take a long sip. "Carter?"

"Hmm?" He answered between sips.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"You promise you wont lie to me."

"Abby, what's wrong?"

"If you hadn't have left. Where do you think we'd be?"

"Honestly? I don't know." She watched him over the top of her coffee. "The way we were heading we were spiralling dramatically out of control. At that rate we would have bottomed out and taken each other down too."

"So we were destined to fall apart?"

"I don't think that."

"No?" A small smile crept upon her lips. "Me either. I just wish we hadn't ended that way."

"I know."

"I just don't understand how we could go from what seemed our happy ever after, to you needing to put a continent between us." Knowing that she was putting the blame on him, she hastily continued. "I know I put up my own metaphorical barriers. It's just hard not to. Not that that's an excuse… You know you broke down a few of those."

He couldn't stop the tiny smirk developing on his face, but it was marred by her other words. "It didn't happen over night." He said not referring to anything specific.

"I know. But it happened. So it stands to reason it could happen again."

"You said you don't want anything to happen."

"I know what I said, I just don't know what I think." She snapped. "Look, Carter, John," her voice softened as she muddled over her choice of names to call him. "I don't know what to think, or how I should be feeling. A few hours ago I thought we were on one track and then I discover that things have taken on a whole new level."

"You discovered?" he mumbled to himself, cogs starting to turn, but Abby didn't hear him.

"We haven't even discussed what went wrong between us, it's like its all taboo and if even one of us mentioned our past everything around us would go up in smoke."

"You just said discovered." He said out loud having ignored her last musings. "Luka told you, didn't he?" He spat out angrily.

"What?" Abby's head shot round to look at him. "No, I already told you."

He shook his head at her blatant lie. "You just told me that you hadn't even contemplated my having feelings for you until you discovered it."

"He didn't tell me." Carter's eyebrows rose questioningly. "Well not directly, he was discussing our situation and I over heard him. He doesn't even know that I know."

"Well that makes it all better."

"Don't be so petulant Carter, it doesn't suit you." Abby responded. "Luka didn't know I was sat in the next booth, he was trying to figure out what to do for you… He wanted to try and work out how to help you. He only wants what's best for you. You should feel lucky to have someone like him to look out for you."

"Oh yes, Saint Luka strikes again."

"What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Bloody Luka." He mumbled and broke off.

"Bloody Luka, as you call him, has your best interests at heart."

"That's what he wants you to believe."

Then something twigged in Abby's head, something she never thought she'd see again in Carter was suddenly blindingly obvious. "You're jealous."

"What?" He denied, scoffing.

"You're jealous of Luka. He's now got the perfect life, a great girlfriend, he's happy in his job and with his life." Knowing she was about to step too far, she paused and changed tracks. Resting her hand on his arm, he first flinched then relaxed at her touch. "Carter you don't have the monopoly on tragic lives. Everyone has demons in their past, the odd skeleton and crazy family members. Everyone gets a chance at happiness and are affected by misery. At the moment it seems like the misery is about to swallow you whole, but I promise it will get better. Things will get better and I'll be here for you. As your friend."

Carter tried to pull away, tried to hide his anguish and hold back the tears that threatened to fall, but Abby refused to let him go. For once she was going to be strong for him, let him hold onto her for dear life. She owed it to him, to herself, but more importantly she owed it to them.

Some may have felt that enough time had passed for Carter, that he should be past this stage in the grieving process, Abby knew better she had observed him silently. Seen his anguish first hand and watched as he stored away his pain in order to carry on. She knew his past, knew him and wanted to help.

Turning him to face her, she pulled him close whispering soothing words as he finally let go.

**A little PS Authors notes:** Thank you to all who reviewed my last chapter and just for confirmation sakes abby/carter fan was right… Sceptical is the English way and since I'm English I'm kinda set in my ways :D.


End file.
